Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
Encyclopedia
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum is state park
and museum
of Utah
, USA, located in Cedar City
. The museum was opened to the public in 1980, originally named "Iron Mission State Park" for the pioneering attempts of Mormon settlers to create an iron industry. The museum name was changed in 2009, as the park grew and expanded around Gronway Parry's collection of horse-drawn vehicle
s and agricultural implements. Over the years other programs and activities have been added such as pioneer craft demonstrations, rotating art exhibits, interpretive lectures, guided curation tours, and a Junior Curator program.
Museum displays include horse-drawn vehicles used from 1850 to 1920 and a collection of pioneer artifacts. An iron industry exhibit features the only known remaining artifact from the original foundry - the town bell. Other items of interest include several historic cabins, a large collection of horse-drawn farm equipment, and a replicated pioneer household.
Frontier Homestead also manages the historic ruins of Old Iron Town
, an iron foundry west of Cedar City that operated in the mid 19th century.
who began settling in Utah in 1847. When iron deposits were discovered in southern Utah, Mormon
leader Brigham Young
called for volunteers to colonize the area. A site near Coal Creek, now Cedar City, was selected in November 1851 for the iron works. Ten months later, the colony completed construction of a small blast furnace
and began to operate the iron foundry
. Despite its initial success, the 'Iron Mission' faced many difficulties. Financial troubles, floods, heavy freezes and furnace failure took their toll. In addition, a crop shortage threatened starvation. The people persevered in the face of these obstacles, but the foundry was eventually closed in 1858.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
and museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, USA, located in Cedar City
Cedar City, Utah
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,527 people, 6,486 households, and 4,682 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,021.8 people per square mile . There were 7,109 housing units at an average density of 353.9 per square mile...
. The museum was opened to the public in 1980, originally named "Iron Mission State Park" for the pioneering attempts of Mormon settlers to create an iron industry. The museum name was changed in 2009, as the park grew and expanded around Gronway Parry's collection of horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s and agricultural implements. Over the years other programs and activities have been added such as pioneer craft demonstrations, rotating art exhibits, interpretive lectures, guided curation tours, and a Junior Curator program.
Museum displays include horse-drawn vehicles used from 1850 to 1920 and a collection of pioneer artifacts. An iron industry exhibit features the only known remaining artifact from the original foundry - the town bell. Other items of interest include several historic cabins, a large collection of horse-drawn farm equipment, and a replicated pioneer household.
Frontier Homestead also manages the historic ruins of Old Iron Town
Old Iron Town, Utah
Old Iron Town, originally Iron City, is a ghost town in Iron County, in the U.S. state of Utah. It is located in Dixie National Forest, about from Cedar City. The settlement was founded in 1868 as a second attempt to mine iron from Iron Mountain after a disappointing yield from Cedar City...
, an iron foundry west of Cedar City that operated in the mid 19th century.
History
Lack of iron was a major concern to pioneersAmerican pioneer
American pioneers are any of the people in American history who migrated west to join in settling and developing new areas. The term especially refers to those who were going to settle any territory which had previously not been settled or developed by European or American society, although the...
who began settling in Utah in 1847. When iron deposits were discovered in southern Utah, Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
leader Brigham Young
Brigham Young
Brigham Young was an American leader in the Latter Day Saint movement and a settler of the Western United States. He was the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1847 until his death in 1877, he founded Salt Lake City, and he served as the first governor of the Utah...
called for volunteers to colonize the area. A site near Coal Creek, now Cedar City, was selected in November 1851 for the iron works. Ten months later, the colony completed construction of a small blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
and began to operate the iron foundry
Iron Foundry
Factory: machine-music , Op. 19, commonly referred to as the Iron Foundry, is the most well-known work by Soviet composer Alexander Mosolov and a prime example of Soviet futurist music. It was composed between 1926 and 1927 as the first movement of the ballet suite...
. Despite its initial success, the 'Iron Mission' faced many difficulties. Financial troubles, floods, heavy freezes and furnace failure took their toll. In addition, a crop shortage threatened starvation. The people persevered in the face of these obstacles, but the foundry was eventually closed in 1858.